Team M4 EMGO Suzuki closed out a successful weekend at Barber Motorsports Park on Sunday by claiming another top-five result to go along with the podium finish earned the day before.
Hard charging Vincent Haskovec was impressive again, challenging for the lead throughout much of the 60k Superstock contest aboard his Pirelli-shod GSX-R1000. He gave the factory entries fits before eventually having to back off his incredibly hot pace in order to secure a fifth-place result.
Team Crew Chief Keith Perry was encouraged by Haskovec’s follow-up to his spectacular season-opening Superstock victory at Daytona.
“Early on I saw Vincent running with those guys and I thought, ‘Here we go again!’” Perry said. “He had a great run; he’s riding really well, the guys have the bike working great, and the Pirelli guys are trying their hearts out. As it was, we just couldn’t hang with ’em at the end of the race. Vincent rode well to save a few slides there and keep it upright. Still, we’re happy with a top five. If we can do that all year to put the pressure on the other teams — and grab podiums and wins when we can — we should be right there in the end,” said Perry after the race.
“We have high expectations,” he concluded.
The Czech Republic native wasn’t quite finished. He also raced in the 100k Superbike final aboard his Superstock-spec GSX-R1000 and claimed a very respectable seventh.
Haskovec’s teammate, Geoff May, had a tougher time on Sunday. He was forced to retire early from the Superstock race for safety precautions race after mechanical problems surfaced. However, he did put in a solid effort in the day’s earlier Supersport final. The Georgian just missed a top-ten finish after crossing the stripe in eleventh, a half-second behind the factory Suzuki entry.
“I guess the racing gods just weren’t with me today,” May said afterwards. “The good thing is I get another chance at Fontana.”
Team M4 EMGO Suzuki will be back in action next week as the AMA roadracing series travels to California Speedway in Fontana, CA for the third round of the 2005 championship.
